U.S. patent application number 13/689551 was filed with the patent office on 2014-05-29 for system and approach to manage versioning of field devices in a multi-site enterprise.
This patent application is currently assigned to HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.. Invention is credited to Ripunjeet Dutta, Gerald Walter.
Application Number | 20140149973 13/689551 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50774488 |
Filed Date | 2014-05-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140149973 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Walter; Gerald ; et
al. |
May 29, 2014 |
SYSTEM AND APPROACH TO MANAGE VERSIONING OF FIELD DEVICES IN A
MULTI-SITE ENTERPRISE
Abstract
An energy management and control system that may manage
versioning firmware for devices. The system may be structured in a
hierarchy of enterprise, site and field levels, with one or more
computing platforms at the various levels. An enterprise supervisor
may detect and obtain new version firmware for the devices at the
field level. The new version firmware may be transferred from the
supervisor to one or more site controllers. The one or more site
controllers may transfer the new version firmware to eligible field
devices. The devices may report to their respective site
controllers a status of a transfer of the new version hardware. The
site controllers may report to the supervisor the status of the
transfer. Detection of new version firmware may be automatic.
Transfer of the new version firmware to virtually all of the
eligible devices may be automatic.
Inventors: |
Walter; Gerald; (Canton,
OH) ; Dutta; Ripunjeet; (Morristown, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. |
Morristown |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL
INC.
Morristown
NJ
|
Family ID: |
50774488 |
Appl. No.: |
13/689551 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
717/170 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 8/654 20180201;
G06F 8/71 20130101; G06F 8/65 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
717/170 |
International
Class: |
G06F 9/445 20060101
G06F009/445 |
Claims
1. An energy management and control system comprising: a supervisor
controller having a first versioning service component; one or more
site controllers, having a second versioning service component,
connected to the supervisor controller; and one or more field
devices, having firmware, connected to the one or more site
controllers; and wherein: the first versioning service component
has a configuration that enables automatic detection by the
supervisor controller of new version firmware; a query is made by
the first versioning service component to the second versioning
service component for an inventory of the one or more field devices
to determine which field devices, if any, are appropriate for
receipt of the new version firmware; the first versioning service
component launches a versioning job process and transfers the new
version firmware to the second versioning service component to
continue the versioning job process; and the versioning job process
comprises installing the new version firmware in the one or more
field devices determined as appropriate for receipt of the new
version firmware.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein: the first versioning component
comprises a user interface; and a user provides, via the user
interface, the configuration to the first versioning service
component that enables automatic detection by the supervisor
controller of the new version firmware.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein a field device appropriate for
receipt of the new version firmware has a present version firmware
which is upgradeable or replaceable with the new version
firmware.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the field device, appropriate for
receipt of the new version firmware, reports to a site controller a
status of a transfer of the new version firmware.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein a site controller reports a
status of transfer operations of the new version firmware to the
first versioning service component so that a user can monitor the
status and progress of the transfer operations via the user
interface.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein when the first versioning service
component launches the versioning job process and transfers the new
version firmware to the second versioning service component to
continue the versioning job process, the job process automatically
continues until virtually all of the one or more field devices
determined as appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware,
have been installed with the new version firmware unless
interrupted by a user via a user interface to the system.
7. An energy management and control system having a mechanism for
versioning firmware of field devices, comprising: an enterprise
supervisor; one or more site controllers connected to the
enterprise supervisor; and one or more field devices connected to
the one or more site controllers; and wherein: the one or more
field devices comprise firmware that controls an operation of the
one or more field devices, respectively; the enterprise supervisor
detects new version firmware for one or more field devices; the
enterprise supervisor queries the one or more site controllers for
an inventory of appropriate field devices qualified to receive the
new version firmware; upon a launch initiated by a user, the
enterprise supervisor transfers the new version firmware to the one
or more site controllers; the new version firmware is transferred
by the one or more site controllers to virtually all of the
appropriate field devices; and a transfer of the new version
firmware replaces or upgrades the firmware in the appropriate field
devices.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the enterprise supervisor
comprises a versioning service that detects the new version
firmware.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more site controllers
update the enterprise supervisor with a status of a transfer of the
new version firmware.
10. The system of claim 7, wherein upon transfer the new version
firmware to the one or more site controllers, the new version
firmware is then automatically transferred to the appropriate field
devices.
11. The system of claim 8, wherein the versioning service provides
information about receipt and transfer of new version software to a
versioning history log.
12. An energy management and control system comprising: a
supervisor having a first versioning service component; at least
one site controller, connected to the supervisor, having a second
versioning service component; and one or more field devices
connected to the at least one site controller; and wherein: the
first versioning service component is loaded with new version
firmware; the new version firmware is transferred by the first
versioning service component to the second versioning service
component; and the second versioning service component transfers
the new version firmware to replace or upgrade firmware in the one
or more field devices.
13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first versioning service
component comprises: a user interface; a first query engine; a
first file transfer engine; and a first versioning job processor
connected to the first file transfer engine.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second versioning service
component comprises: a second query engine connected to the first
query engine; a second file transfer engine connected to the first
file transfer engine; a second versioning job processor connected
to the first versioning job processor; and a file transfer manager
connected to the second versioning job processor and the second
file transfer engine.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein: the second file transfer
engine receives the new version firmware and saves the new version
firmware to a file store; the file transfer manager downloads the
new version firmware from the second file transfer engine and/or
the file store, and downloads the new version firmware to an
appropriate field device or field devices of the one or more field
devices; the second versioning job processor updates the file
transfer manager about transfer tasks; the second query engine
responds to one or more queries from the first query engine
regarding an inventory of the one or more field devices to
determine the appropriate field device or field devices; and an
appropriate field device is a device that has a present version
firmware that is replaceable or upgradeable with the new version
firmware.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the file transfer manager
further updates the second versioning job processor with a current
status of transfer operations of the new version firmware to the
appropriate field device or field devices.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the site controller comprises a
communication engine that receives the new version firmware from
the second transfer engine and transfers the new version firmware
to the appropriate field device or field devices.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more field devices
report a new version firmware status to the site controller via the
communication engine.
19. The system of claim 12, wherein: the one or more field devices
comprise input/output modules, electronic thermostats, and/or
lighting control units; the one or more field devices comprise one
or more model types; firmware for one model type can be different
than firmware for another model type; and the new version firmware
can be an acceptable version for firmware of just one model type of
field devices.
20. The system of claim 13, wherein: a user interface permits a
user to load the new version firmware, configure and initiate a
deployment job for the new version firmware, and monitor the
deployment job; and/or the first versioning job processor initiates
a transfer of the new version firmware from the supervisor to the
at least one site controller, and updates a history log of a
versioning job status.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure pertains to management of devices and
particularly to versioning the devices. More particularly, the
disclosure pertains to management and versioning the devices in a
multi-site environment.
SUMMARY
[0002] The disclosure reveals an energy management and control
system that may manage versioning firmware for devices. The system
may be structured in a hierarchy of enterprise, site and field
levels, with one or more computing platforms at the various levels.
An enterprise supervisor may detect and obtain new version firmware
for the devices at the field level. The new version firmware may be
transferred from the supervisor to one or more site controllers.
The one or more site controllers may transfer the new version
firmware to eligible field devices. The devices may report to their
respective site controllers a status of a transfer of the new
version firmware. The site controllers may report to the supervisor
the status of the transfer. Detection of new version firmware may
be automatic. Transfer of the new version firmware to virtually all
of the eligible devices may be automatic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0003] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an energy management and control
system hierarchy;
[0004] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a relationship between an enterprise
supervisor and site-level controllers;
[0005] FIG. 3 is a diagram of a field device versioning process
flow; and
[0006] FIG. 4 is a diagram of another field device versioning
process flow.
DESCRIPTION
[0007] The present system and approach, as described herein and/or
shown in the Figures, may incorporate one or more processors,
computers, controllers, user interfaces, wireless and/or wire
connections, and/or the like, wherever desired.
[0008] An energy management and control system (EMCS) may be a
three-tier hierarchy with enterprise, site and field levels.
Computing platforms (computers/controllers) at each level may
execute applications specific to the functionality required at that
level.
[0009] At the field level, the EMCS may consist of numerous
devices, each of which performs a specific function. These devices
might be, for example, simple input/output modules (IOMs),
electronic thermostats (ETMs) that control rooftop heating,
ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units, lighting control
units (LCUs) that manage a building's interior and exterior lights,
and/or other kinds of devices. Additionally, each controller type
may be comprised of various models; ETM-1, ETM-2 and ETM-3 might be
models of ETMs that are differentiated by unique features and/or
functions.
[0010] Each field device in an EMCS may contain a program (or
firmware) which controls that device's functionality. Virtually all
controllers of a particular model, ETM-1s for example, may execute
the same version of firmware. As new features and functions are
developed, or as bugs are fixed, new firmware versions may be
transferred to each controller. Placing another version of firmware
in place of firmware in a controller or that of a field device may
be regarded as "versioning".
[0011] In the related art, field device versioning may be a manual
process. One may manually connect to each site and initiate a
firmware update for each field device needing a new version. When a
particular model of controller needs to have its firmware updated,
the effort of versioning may be complex, costly and
time-consuming.
[0012] Depending on a building's size, an EMCS might consist of a
few or several dozen controllers. While a small footprint building
may have only ten ETMs, and a few IOMs and LCUs, a larger building
may have thirty ETMs, and a dozen IOMs and LCUs.
[0013] As the scale of a multi-site enterprise increases, the
number of controllers that should be managed may greatly increase.
A single site may have only ten to thirty ETM-1 controllers;
however, an enterprise with hundreds of sites may need to manage
thousands of ETM-1s. If the enterprise has over a thousand sites,
the controller count may be in the tens of thousands.
[0014] The present system and approach may manage the task of
deploying firmware versions to controllers in a multi-site
enterprise. The issues of time, cost and complexity may be
addressed by distributing and automating the tasks associated with
version management across the enterprise hierarchy.
[0015] The tasks, or responsibilities, at the various levels of the
hierarchy may be noted in the following. The enterprise supervisor,
controller or computer (enterprise) may provide a versioning
service which manages the field device versioning process. It may
provide a user interface for the versioning service which allows a
user to configure, manage and monitor the versioning process. It
may provide a query mechanism to determine the field device
inventory of each site. The enterprise may have a capability to
automatically detect when a firmware file containing a new version
of the program for a particular model of field device is placed on
the enterprise and may initiate the file transfer process. The
enterprise may transfer a firmware file to each site at which at
least one compatible device model is installed. The enterprise may
receive updates from each site about the progress/status of the
transfer process.
[0016] The site controller may respond to an enterprise query for
the site controller's field device inventory. The site controller
may receive a firmware file from the enterprise. The site
controller may automatically initiate and manage the process of
transferring a firmware file to each compatible field device. The
site controller may report the progress/status of the transfer
process to the enterprise.
[0017] The field device may receive a firmware file from the site
controller. The field device may report the progress/status of the
transfer process to the site controller.
[0018] The enterprise level may be a centralized application which
manages and monitors the control system at multiple, remote sites.
A site may have one or more site controllers which manage, control,
and monitor one or more networks of field devices. The field device
may typically be designed to control a piece of EMCS equipment.
Other uses may include control of indoor and outdoor lights,
control of signage, and more.
[0019] The present system and approach may have enhanced
functionality at each level of the EMCS. The enterprise may have a
versioning service added to an enterprise application. This service
may coordinate virtually all activities related to versioning of
field devices. The service may provide a user interface which
allows the user to configure the service's behavior and monitor
versioning activities. A query mechanism may interrogate each site
in the enterprise to obtain a field device inventory from each site
controller. This inventory may then be available to the user
interface allowing the user to view and manage the installed base
of field devices. The user may modify versioning behavior at the
enterprise, site, site controller, or field device level; for
instance, enabling the services ability to automatically detect the
presence of a new firmware file and initiate the file transfer
process, enabling or disabling the automatic firmware upgrade
functionality of one or more specific sites, site controllers,
and/or field device types.
[0020] A firmware file (firmware) may be saved to a specific
subdirectory on the computer's file system. Based on the
configuration of the versioning service, the enterprise application
may monitor that subdirectory for the presence of a new file. When
a new file is detected, the enterprise application may initiate the
file transfer process. Alternately, the file transfer process may
be initiated manually through the application's user interface.
[0021] The firmware file may be parsed to determine the target
field device model. Each site in the enterprise may then be
scanned, depending on the site-specific configuration, to locate
sites at which the particular field device is installed. When a
qualifying site is found, the firmware file may be transferred to
the appropriate site controller. This transfer process may begin
with the enterprise application notifying the site controller with
a "start of file transfer" message. Once the site controller
acknowledges the message, the enterprise application may transfer
the file according to the enterprise-to-site communications
protocol.
[0022] The enterprise application may execute a monitoring process
which receives progress/status updates from the site controllers as
the firmware file is being received and the field devices are being
updated. The monitoring process may maintain a user interface which
displays the current progress and/or status of the firmware upgrade
activities.
[0023] In conjunction with the field device inventory, the
versioning service may maintain a history of upgrade activity for
each field device. When the site controller receives a "start of
file transfer" message from the enterprise application, the site
controller may prepare a location on its local file store (or
comparable storage medium) to save the incoming file. The site
controller may receive the file according to an enterprise-to-site
communications protocol and save the file. As the file is received,
the site controller may update the enterprise application with
progress and/or status information.
[0024] At the end of the file transfer, the site controller may
parse the firmware file to determine the target field device model.
The site controller may then scan its device network or networks to
locate compatible field devices. When a qualifying field device is
found, the site controller may flag that device as needing a
firmware upgrade.
[0025] The site controller may use a polling mechanism to schedule
communications with its one or more networks of field devices. As
each device gets a turn, the polling task may check if the device
has been flagged for a firmware upgrade. Following the site
controller-to-field device communications protocol, the firmware
file may be transmitted to the field device. During the upgrade
process, the site controller may receive progress and/or status
updates from the field device and communicate those updates to the
enterprise application.
[0026] When a field device receives a "start of firmware upgrade"
message from the site controller, the device may prepare, according
to its device specification, for a firmware upgrade. The device may
receive and process the new program according to its device
specification; these details may incorporate where and/or how the
new version is saved during the upgrade and the mechanism for
replacing the current application with the new version. As the
firmware upgrade process occurs, the device may update the site
controller with progress/status information.
[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagram of the energy management and control
system hierarchy with example sites. An enterprise supervisor 12
may be connected with a number (n) of sites 13, 14 and 15. Although
three sites are shown, there may be more or fewer sites. Site 13
may have one or more site-level controllers or site supervisors 16,
connected with enterprise supervisor 12, and one or more field
devices 17 connected with a site controller 16. As examples, site
13, 14, and 15 may be in San Francisco, San Antonio and Cleveland,
respectively. Sites 14 and 15 may have the same structure and items
as site 13.
[0028] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of enterprise supervisor 12 and
its site-level controllers 16. The blocks within the block
representing enterprise supervisor 12 may indicate a versioning
service 40, an enterprise data model, a web server, alarm
management, history management and batch services. There may be
additional blocks indicating other items relative to enterprise
supervisor 12.
[0029] A block representing each site level controller 16 may
contain blocks indicating a versioning service 50, site data model,
a web server, alarm management, history management, and device
control and demand response strategies. There may be additional
blocks indicating other items relative to site level controller
16.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a diagram 30 representing an example of a field
device versioning process flow along with components of the energy
management and control system. Enterprise supervisor 12 and site
controller 16 may incorporate a versioning service 40 and 50,
respectively. Components of versioning service 40 of supervisor 12
may incorporate a versioning service user interface 21, a query
engine 22, a versioning job processor 23 and a file transfer engine
24.
[0031] Components of versioning service 50 of site controller 16
may incorporate a query engine 32, a versioning job processor 33, a
file transfer engine 34 and a file transfer manager 35. Site
controller 16 may also incorporate a communication engine 36.
[0032] An enterprise manager 41 may provide direction and
information to user interface 21. For instance, manager 41 may load
a new version firmware file via a user interface. The firmware is
an example file. Another file or information may be loaded. Manager
41 may configure and initiate a version deployment job. Supervisor
12 may query a site 13, 14 or 15 for a device 17 inventory. For
illustrative purposes, site 13 may be considered as an example. The
query may be via a connection 38 between query engines 22 and 32.
Versioning job processor 23 of supervisor 12 may initiate a
firmware file transfer from supervisor 12 to site 13 via a
connection 39 between job processor 23 and file transfer engine 24.
Versioning service 40 of supervisor 12 may update the versioning
service 50 of site 13 with versioning job details along a
connection 42 between versioning job processor 23 of supervisor 12
and versioning job processor 33 of site controller 16. The firmware
file may be transferred from supervisor 12 to site 13 via a
connection 43 between file transfer engine 24 and file transfer
engine 34. Site 13 may receive the firmware file at file transfer
engine 34 and save the firmware file to a local file store. Site 13
may update supervisor 12 with firmware file transfer status via
connection 43.
[0033] Versioning job processor 33 at site 13 may update file
transfer manager 35 with needed transfer tasks via a connection 44
between versioning job processor 33 and file transfer manager 35.
File transfer manager 35 may interact with file transfer engine 34
via a connection 45 to download the firmware file to the
appropriate devices 17 via a connection 47 from a communication
engine 36. Communication engine 36 may incorporate protocol stacks,
encode/decode logic, and so forth. The one or more field devices 17
may receive the firmware file and report a status to site
controller 16 via connection 47 between communication engine 36 and
the one or more field devices 17.
[0034] File transfer manager 35 may update versioning job processor
33 of site 13 via connection 44 with a current status of the
firmware file transfer operations. Versioning service 50 of site 13
may update versioning service 40 of supervisor 12 with a versioning
job status via connection 42 between versioning job processor 33
and versioning job processor 23. Job processor 23 of supervisor 12
may update a versioning history log with the versioning job status.
Enterprise manager 41 may monitor progress and status of the
deployment job of the firmware file via the versioning service user
interface 21 of supervisor 12.
[0035] FIG. 4 is a diagram 60 representing another example of a
field device versioning process flow along with components of the
energy management and control system. Diagram 60 may differ from
diagram 30 of FIG. 3 relative to a flow process. The components may
be similar or the same among the diagrams. To start, enterprise
manager 41 may configure an "automated job" of versioning service
40 of supervisor 12 via user interface 21. Manager 41 may specify
the enterprise, site, site controller and field device behavior
also via interface 21. Manager 41 may enable an "auto-detect" of a
firmware file. Supervisor 12 may query site 13 for a field device
17 inventory via query engines 22 and 32 with connection 38.
Manager 41 may load a new version firmware file via interface 21.
Versioning service 40 of supervisor 12 may auto-detect a new
firmware file and launch a versioning job. From here on, the flow
process and structure of diagram 60 may appear similar to that of
diagram 30.
[0036] To recap, an energy management and control system may
incorporate a supervisor controller having a first versioning
service component, one or more site controllers, having a second
versioning service component, connected to the supervisor
controller, and one or more field devices, having firmware,
connected to the one or more site controllers. The first versioning
service component may have a configuration that enables automatic
detection by the supervisor controller of new version firmware. A
query may be made by the first versioning service component to the
second versioning service component for an inventory of the one or
more field devices to determine which field devices, if any, are
appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware. The first
versioning service component may launch a versioning job process
and transfer the new version firmware to the second versioning
service component to continue the versioning job process. The
versioning job process may incorporate installing the new version
firmware in the one or more field devices determined as appropriate
for receipt of the new version firmware.
[0037] The first versioning component may incorporate a user
interface. A user may provide, via the user interface, the
configuration to the first versioning service component that
enables automatic detection by the supervisor controller of the new
version firmware.
[0038] A field device appropriate for receipt of the new version
firmware may have a present version firmware which is upgradeable
or replaceable with the new version firmware. The field device,
appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware, may report to
a site controller a status of a transfer of the new version
firmware.
[0039] A site controller may report a status of transfer operations
of the new version firmware to the first versioning service
component so that a user can monitor the status and progress of the
transfer operations via the user interface.
[0040] When the first versioning service component launches the
versioning job process and transfers the new version firmware to
the second versioning service component to continue the versioning
job process, the job process may automatically continue until
virtually all of the one or more field devices determined as
appropriate for receipt of the new version firmware, have been
installed with the new version firmware unless interrupted by a
user via a user interface to the system.
[0041] An energy management and control system having a mechanism
for versioning firmware of field devices, may incorporate an
enterprise supervisor, one or more site controllers connected to
the enterprise supervisor, and one or more field devices connected
to the one or more site controllers. The one or more field devices
may incorporate firmware that controls an operation of the one or
more field devices, respectively.
[0042] The enterprise supervisor may detect new version firmware
for one or more field devices. The enterprise supervisor may query
the one or more site controllers for an inventory of appropriate
field devices qualified to receive the new version firmware. Upon a
launch initiated by a user, the enterprise supervisor may transfer
the new version firmware to the one or more site controllers. The
new version firmware may be transferred by the one or more site
controllers to virtually all of the appropriate field devices. A
transfer of the new version firmware may replace or upgrade the
firmware in the appropriate field devices.
[0043] The enterprise supervisor may incorporate a versioning
service that detects the new version firmware. The versioning
service may provide information about receipt and transfer of new
version software to a versioning history log.
[0044] The one or more site controllers may update the enterprise
supervisor with a status of a transfer of the new version
firmware.
[0045] Upon transfer the new version firmware to the one or more
site controllers, the new version firmware may then be
automatically transferred to the appropriate field devices.
[0046] An energy management and control system may incorporate a
supervisor having a first versioning service component, at least
one site controller, connected to the supervisor, having a second
versioning service component, and one or more field devices
connected to the at least one site controller.
[0047] The first versioning service component may be loaded with
new version firmware. The new version firmware may be transferred
by the first versioning service component to the second versioning
service component. The second versioning service component may
transfer the new version firmware to replace or upgrade firmware in
the one or more field devices.
[0048] The first versioning service component may incorporate a
user interface, a first query engine, a first file transfer engine,
and a first versioning job processor connected to the first file
transfer engine.
[0049] The second versioning service component may incorporate a
second query engine connected to the first query engine, a second
file transfer engine connected to the first file transfer engine, a
second versioning job processor connected to the first versioning
job processor, and a file transfer manager connected to the second
versioning job processor and the second file transfer engine.
[0050] The second file transfer engine may receive the new version
firmware and save the new version firmware to a file store. The
file transfer manager may download the new version firmware from
the second file transfer engine and/or the file store, and download
the new version firmware to an appropriate field device or field
devices of the one or more field devices. The second versioning job
processor may update the file transfer manager about transfer
tasks.
[0051] The second query engine may respond to one or more queries
from the first query engine regarding an inventory of the one or
more field devices to determine the appropriate field device or
field devices. An appropriate field device may be a device that has
a present version firmware that is replaceable or upgradeable with
the new version firmware.
[0052] The file transfer manager may further update the second
versioning job processor with a current status of transfer
operations of the new version firmware to the appropriate field
device or field devices.
[0053] The site controller may incorporate a communication engine
that receives the new version firmware from the second transfer
engine and transfers the new version firmware to the appropriate
field device or field devices. The one or more field devices may
report a new version firmware status to the site controller via the
communication engine.
[0054] The one or more field devices may incorporate input/output
modules, electronic thermostats, and/or lighting control units. The
one or more field devices may incorporate one or more model types.
Firmware for one model type may be different than firmware for
another model type. The new version firmware may be an acceptable
version for firmware of just one model type of field devices.
[0055] A user interface may permit a user to load the new version
firmware, configure and initiate a deployment job for the new
version firmware, and monitor the deployment job. The first
versioning job processor may initiate a transfer of the new version
firmware from the supervisor to the at least one site controller,
and update a history log of a versioning job status.
[0056] In the present specification, some of the matter may be of a
hypothetical or prophetic nature although stated in another manner
or tense.
[0057] Although the present system and/or approach has been
described with respect to at least one illustrative example, many
variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled
in the art upon reading the specification. It is therefore the
intention that the appended claims be interpreted as broadly as
possible in view of the related art to include all such variations
and modifications.
* * * * *